LFCHD promotes services through National Superhero Day!

Today is National Superhero Day, and like the mighty Avengers (or Justice League) uniting to battle foes, we combined the day with an overall Public Health message.

Using the hashtag “#NationalSuperHeroDay,” we used Facebook and Twitter to tie various LFCHD services with some popular superheroes:

• Parents, be a superhero and teach your kids proper handwashing! Use soap and warm water for at least 30 seconds (or about the time to sing “Happy Birthday” twice). It’s the easiest way to avoid spreading germs and can help protect everyone in the family! #NationalSuperHeroDay
• Moms, give your child the best start at being a superhero and take part in our WIC program! Check out our website or call 859-288-2483 to see if you qualify! http://tinyurl.com/jhy7yvh #NationalSuperHeroDay
• Did you know Iron Man battled addiction? Our needle-exchange program is helping by adding on-site referrals to rehabilitation services. It starts 1:30-3:30 Friday at 650 Newtown Pike! #NationalSuperHeroDay
• Bats are common carriers of rabies in Kentucky. It’s #NationalSuperHeroDay and Batman wants you to bring your pets to our low-cost #rabies vaccination clinic, 6-9 p.m. May 5 at Douglass Park!
• Real superheroes know their status: free, confidential walk-in HIV testing is available 1:30-4 p.m. Monday and Friday, 650 Newtown Pike. #NationalSuperHeroDay

 

Celebrate Administrative Professionals Day!

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department honors Administrative Professionals Day on April 27.

Administrative Professionals Day was first marked in 1952 and is designed to honor secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists and other administrative support professionals. The idea was to recognize “the secretary, upon whose skill, loyalty and efficiency the functions of business and government offices depend,” according to the International Association of Administrative Professionals.
LFCHD’s administrative professionals include Maria De La Fuente, Lindsay Earlywine, Pam Hopkins, Sandra Lilly, Becky Lynn, Laura Martinez, Laura Overstreet-Sandusky, Cristina Persson, Sharon Robinson, Estephany Romero, Joy Spencer, Nancy Turner and Trish Williams.

LFCHD receives state award for NEP

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department recently received the Commissioner’s Award for the successful implementation of a needle-exchange program in Lexington! Since opening Sept. 4, 2015, the NEP has received 10,297 used needles and given out 10,803 clean needles. Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, acting commissioner of health for Kentucky (and soon to be the new commissioner at LFCHD!), presented the award to Jessica Cobb and Roanya Rice, pictured.

LEX-CHIP survey seeks community input

We are in the process of helping guide the Lexington Community Health Improvement Plan’s survey on the top health/safety issues in Fayette County. Please share the information below with any clients/patients who might be interested. Note: employees are also encouraged to take part in the survey!

Anyone seeking a hard copy of the survey should collect one from the main desk in the Public Health Clinic. Also, if you use social media, please consider sharing the information with your contacts! Thanks for helping and being a part of this important survey!

The Lexington Community Health Improvement Plan, or LEX-CHIP, wants to hear from you! LEX-CHIP is a group of community partners who are collecting public input on the top health and safety issues in Lexington. You can get involved by completing a survey to identify the most-pressing issues. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate. ALL information is ANONYMOUS unless you choose to submit your contact information to be entered in a drawing to win one of three $150 Wal-Mart gift cards. LEX-CHIP looks forward to your participation. You can access the survey here: LEX-CHIP survey (English).

For clients/patients who speak Spanish, please use the following:

Lexington Community Health Improvement Plan, o LEX-CHIP, quiere escuchar de usted! LEX-CHIP es un grupo de socios de la comunidad que están obteniendo la opinión del público sobre los temas más urgentes de salud y seguridad en la comunidad de Lexington. Usted puede participar completando la encuesta para identificar los problemas más apremiantes. Usted debe tener 18 años de edad o más para participar. Toda la información recopilada será mantenida anónima a menos que decida enviar su información de contacto para inscribirse en un sorteo para ganar uno de los tres $ 150 Wal-Mart tarjetas de regalo. LEX-CHIP cuenta con su participación. Puede acceder la encuesta aquí: LEX-CHIP survey Spanish.

Keys to receive Masters in Education from UK

Jill Keys, a team leader in School Health, will receive her Masters of Science in Education from the University of Kentucky in May. She recently completed her final project on the importance of immunizations in the preschool population, highlighting the challenges families face in trying to obtain immunizations. She also looked at the educational needs of parents, educators and medical providers, including topics like current regulations, the concern with autism, side effects and outbreaks.

Our late commissioner wasn’t too far from her thoughts.

“Dr. Leach came to mind when I was presenting,” Keys said of her final project. “He was a strong supporter in me finishing my degree and talked to me weekly about my progress. My last conversation I had with him here at the health department was him asking how my paper was going. I finished it late on March 31. During my presentation, I talked about the importance of keeping children healthy so they can stay in school to obtain the education they need and parents can stay at work, something Dr. Leach said frequently as a reason to have school nurses in the school.”

Welcome new employees!

Please take a moment to welcome the newest employees of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.

Mia D. Williams
Epidemiologist

Employees graduate from KPHLI program

During the 2016 Kentucky Public Health Association conference, two employees graduated from the KPHLI program which began in November of 2014. Congratulations to Grace Saulsbury (left) and Julie Moon (right)!

More pictures from NPHW celebration of Dr. Leach’s life

Here are more pictures from celebration of Dr. Leach’s life during National Public Health Week! Thanks to Amy Wallot of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government for taking and sharing these great images:

Note: click on an image to see a larger version!

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Luncheon honoring the late Dr. Rice Leach at the Lexington Health Department April 6, 2016.

Celebrate Earth Day with these events

Earth Day is April 22, and the LFCHD Green Team would like to inform you of some upcoming events in Lexington that are environmentally friendly:

April 16:Household Waste Disposal Day
April 22: Fayette County Main Street Clean Sweep
April 23: LFUCG Hazardous Household Waste Cleanup Day
May 14: Personal Paper Shredding Day
May 21: GreenFest

GTV3 covers Dr.Leach’s jazz funeral celebration at LFCHD

GTV3’s Neil Noah and Sherelle Roberts put together a clip about our celebration of Dr. Rice Leach’s life held April 6 as part of National Public Health Week. Enjoy!